Spring De-cluttering

My wife reminded me the other day it's almost time for our annual spring ritual. We have different names for it. She calls it spring cleaning. I call it de-cluttering. While she's pre-occupied with the vacuuming and dusting, I hoe out the winter accumulation of "stick-it-in-the-closets." That's what our youngest daughter long ago named our tendency to "bag, tag and stick in the closet" all the things that pile up on the dining room table over time. She'll insist everything's a "keeper." I'll point out the closet's full and we need to make room for the next cycle of "things we really don't need right now, but might someday come in handy." Maybe we should use the same ritual to "de-clutter" our lives. Perhaps it's time to sort out the anger, envy and desire for control that's taking up room in our spiritual closet. Spring, the season of Lent, may be the perfect time to make more room in our lives for God.